Showing results by publisher "John Murray" in Arts & Entertainment

WINNER OF THE 2022 BRITISH BOOK AWARDS AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR: NON-FICTION The funny, frank and full autobiography of the nation's favourite comedian. 'It's the first time I've done this. Other people have written about me - or for me - but this time it's just my own life in my own words' In his...

Romans! Madrigals! The Dark Ages! Revolutions! Trumpets! The Oranges of The First World War! All of this (except trumpets) and more, is covered in this definitive, easy-clean history of all world history so far, written by the 21st Century's leading historian, philosopher and thinkerer Philomena Cunk. 

'Beautifully written, deliciously evocative, funny and touching' STEPHEN FRY 'A thermometer up the Khyber Pass of Comedy, expertly administered' RICHARD E GRANT Aged twenty-five, dressed as Che Guevara, Nigel Planer answers an ad for a room and his life changes for ever. Both a memoir and a love...

From the mummies of Ancient Egypt, via the silken dragon robes of Imperial China and the woollen sails of Viking longboats to the Indian calicoes and chintzes that powered the Industrial Revolution (and sparked more than one war), arriving finally at the lab-blended fibres that have allowed astronauts to moonwalk - fabrics, man-made and natural, have changed and shaped the world we live in. In 12 fascinating chapters, Kassia St Clair lays out an alternative history of civilisation and human creativity. Wittily written and compellingly argued, this book will change the way you see the world.

What's the nature of reality? Does the universe ever end? What is time, and does it even exist? These are the biggest imagination-stretching, brain-staggering questions in the universe - and here are their fascinating answers. From quantum weirdness to freaky cosmology (like white holes - which spew out matter instead of sucking it in), This Book Will Blow Your Mind takes you on an epic journey to the furthest extremes of science, to the things you never thought possible.

The Secret Lives of Colour tells the unusual stories of the 75 most fascinating shades, dyes and hues. From blonde to ginger, the brown that changed the way battles were fought to the white that protected against the plague, Picasso's blue period to the charcoal on the cave walls at Lascaux, acid yellow to kelly green, and from scarlet women to imperial purple, these surprising stories run like a bright thread throughout history 

A GUARDIAN AND CHOICE BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A walk on the wild side with the alt-rock pioneer' GQ 'DeCurtis is well placed to trace Reed's five-decade career, drawing on insider knowledge but skilfully balancing it with detailed research and fascinating interviews' Mojo Magazine As lead singer and...

The history of colour tells the vivid story of civilisation. From scarlet women to imperial purple, leaf green to the white paint that protected against the atom bomb, Picasso's blue period to the pink Barbie claimed for feminism, The Secret Lives of Colour offers a bright thread throughout human history. Kassia St Clair's lifelong fascination with colours and where they come from (whether Van Goph's chrome yellow sunflowers or Dorothy's ruby slippers) takes us on an unforgettable journey through our past, present and future.

Why does music affect you so profoundly? It impacts the way you think, talk, feel, behave and even spend money. With his conversational style, humour, and endless knowledge, scientist and musician John Powell showcases fascinating studies - for example, that shoppers spend more money in stores that play classical music, and, even more astounding, they are more likely to buy German wine in stores playing German music.

A glamorous social history of the women-only New York hotel that changed the world. WELCOME TO THE BARBIZON, NEW YORK'S PREMIER WOMEN-ONLY HOTEL Built in 1927, New York's Barbizon Hotel was first intended as a home for the 'Modern Woman' seeking a career in the arts. It became the place to stay...

Legendary actress Diana Rigg was a force to be reckoned with. Her 50+-year, multi-award-winning career included everything from the iconic smart-talking, cat-suited Emma Peel in the Avengers to being the only Bond girl 007 ever married, to iconic stage performances in Mother Courage, Jumpers and...

When Miranda Sawyer interviewed Liam Gallagher in 1994, his gag wishing Damon Albarn would die of AIDS became front-page news all over the world. This fascinating pop history, exploring the moment British music suddenly meant everything, explains why. Picking out twenty key songs, delving into the surprising stories behind them and their unlikely creators, UNCOMMON PEOPLE takes us back to when Jarvis Cocker became a national hero, films like Trainspotting were international hits, rave became what everybody did - and it felt like the revolution was happening.

Part hands-on archaeological history of Britain, part deeply personal insight into this ancient craft by a stonemason who has worked on Britain's greatest monuments, from Salisbury Cathedral to St Paul's. Following a tradition that dates back hundreds of years, stonemason Andrew Ziminski has worked on many of Britain's greatest monuments, from the Roman ruins of Bath to Salisbury Cathedral's spire to St Paul's, and his three decades of work give a unique perspective on the warp and weft of English history, nature and geology. 

'BRILLIANT AND IN-DEPTH'' Hanif Abdurraqib, New York Times bestselling author of There's Always This Year and A Little Devil in America A culturally connected celebration of the groundbreaking hip-hop group De La Soul, and how they changed the look, sound, and feel of Black America. Music...

From 1993 to 2021, Daft Punk were the world's most influential electronic group. But how much of the cultural landscape did they change, and how much changed around them? After Daft draws on new interviews with over 100 groundbreaking and commercially dominant artists, creative teams, record labels and concert promoters to illustrate how dance & electronic music transformed from a fringe concern to the indispensable pulse of 21st century culture.

Alan Krueger, the former chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, uses the music industry as a way in to explain the principles of economics and the forces shaping our economic lives. As economists recognise, the music industry is often a leading indicator of today's economy; it is among the first to be disrupted by the latest wave of technology, and examining the ins and outs of how musicians create and sell new songs and plan concert tours offers valuable lessons for what is in store for businesses and employees in other industries that are struggling to adapt.   

For over thirty years, John Julius Norwich has been sending out his Christmas Crackers a personal collection of quirky quotes and literary odds and ends to his friends instead of a Christmas card. In September 2007 an invited audience enjoyed a special performance by John Julius Norwich of a...

The gigantic covert wartime mission led by the men and women of London's museums and galleries to save the nation's priceless heritage. As Hitler prepared to invade Poland during the sweltering summer of 1939, men and women from across London's museums, galleries and archives formulated...